Category: Arizona

Here’s what we’ve been up to from January & February! These kids are super smart, fun, creative and delightful. I love spending Wednesday afternoons with them!

January –

Veggie Buddah Bowls– Give these kiddos some ingredients and they create the most nutritious and eye-appealing dishes! Carrots, quinoa, pinto beans, broccoli, celery, broccoli, and radishes were designed in amazing ways! We talked about the food groups represented in their bowls and topped them with homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing.

February –

Sweet Potato Rosemary Fritters – Measuring, mixing, food processing, chopping and cooking on a griddle were all included in this week’s recipe. Sweet potatoes rich in vitamin A and fiber were complimented by fresh chopped rosemary in these tasty treats. Kids tried and enjoyed some new flavors and scents, too!

Red Fruit Smoothies – In preparation for Valentine’s Day, we made smoothies with frozen cherries and strawberries, fresh spinach, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and ground flaxseed. These were huge hits!

Strawberry Breakfast Creations – Keeping with the red-valentine theme, and taking advantage of a killer strawberry sale, the kids made breakfasts. Giving them some confidence in making their own breakfast at home, they combined peanut butter, whole wheat frozen waffles and strawberries. Their creations were incredible!

Guys – I am ALL about the one-sheet pan dinner craze! Only one pan to clean up?! Yes, please! This delectable dinner came together super quick, and used up 2 large lemons (bonus!). By the way, we harvested ONLY 140 pounds of lemons this year….. last year was over 200 pounds. So, still a ton to use, but definitely less than prior winters!

I’m super excited for the posts to come in February…. why? Well, here in southern Arizona winter means CITRUS! And, at our house, we are blessed to have a lemon tree that is extremely prolific! So…. drumroll….. the blog theme for February is

When these babies go on sale, or when I am lucky enough to get a haul from POW-WOW, I stock up on bell peppers! Look at how many green bell peppers were included at one week’s POW-WOW distribution! When you consider that green bell peppers are a good deal at 50-cents each, and usually run $1.00 each, this was an amazing deal!

Even though my kiddo doesn’t care for them, my husband and I love them. I like to have strips of fresh bell peppers ready for hummus dippers, salads and wraps.

And, if they are already cut into strips, weeknight fajitas are a breeze! Here’s a recipe for Salmon Fajitas that your family will love!

Stuffed bell peppersare easily prepped on the weekend to enjoy for dinners on busy nights as well. Just stuff with your favorite beans, rice, quinoa, corn and salsa…. top with cheese if you like…. heat in a 350 F degree oven until the peppers are soft, about 30 minutes!

Remember – prepping is your friend! Take a little bit of extra time to optimize your meal planning and eat healthier in the end!

Guys – this is the post that I’ve been so excited to share with you! So many ideas for make-ahead breakfasts are included here – and the best part – all from Registered Dietitian Nutritionists! YES!

I’m dividing these recipes and links up between EGG-BASED and OAT-BASED. I encourage you to try prepping a breakfast recipe this week. See if you end up eating healthier in the mornings… see if you feel more energized… see if the prep ahead time investment is worth it!

If you’re not from the southwest, you may not know what a tomatillo is. Well, let me introduce you to this delicious beauty!

Recently, the fantabulous POW-WOW offered a huge bounty of tomatillos. I was thrilled! First step – cut tomatillos in quarters. Second – place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil. Third – drizzle with olive oil. Fourth – add 2-3 fresh jalapenos (quartered) and 2 cloves of fresh garlic (chopped). Place in 400 degree oven and roast until the tomatillos are soft….about 20 minutes.

This is what the gorgeously aromatic baking sheet will look like! Your house will smell divine!! You are welcome!

When the mixture has cooled, place all of it into a blender and mix until smooth. Stores well in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Enjoy this as a fresh salsa with chips or veggie sticks. Cook in a crockpot over chicken or pork loin. Substitute the marinara in Eggplant Parmesan with this tomatillo sauce for a Latin twist on the classic. It was SO delicious and the leftovers made for excellent lunches! This is a photo of the dish before baking….

Be creative and enjoy this new flavor!

Remember – prepping is your friend! Take a little bit of extra time to optimize your meal planning and eat healthier in the end!